The ‘post-punk’ age was key in the lead-up to modern music. Let’s talk about it.
In a time full of cliches, a new broad type of rock music was determined to emerge from the punk movement and depart the traditionalism of the 1970s…
This year marks 30 years since some of the most iconic acts of the late 1970s placed their historical mark on mainstream music, from Wire to John Lyndon's Public Image Ltd.
The early-to-mid 1970s had been personified under a long list of trademarks by reason of the decaying age of Western psychedelia and ‘progressive’ labels under mainstream rock. Nobody’s willing to deny, reasonably, the influence of that stage but the birth of punk rock had a mission to disrupt the perfection of 70s rock and make a deal of aggression against what was considered ‘usual’. Suddenly short and fast-paced melodies, hard-edged singing and stripped-down instrumentation was the rage (literally) around most venues.
However, it was only so long before these styles became monotonous, and the original fortifications of what punk meant began to crash down. Instead; a new hope shined through the aftermath. This was the post-punk movement. Artists drifted away from the original ‘manifesto’ of punk, and other influences came through which truly defined the age. Most likely, you probably know artists such as Joy Division and The Cure for resonating with “misunderstood” teenagers, which was the starting point in seeking a new form of art in mainstream music. Incorporation of isolation and emotional sensitivity was core to some of the most notable albums of the late 70s. As a result of this, the post-punk age marked itself in history as some of the most powerful and creative guitar music in the history of… well, rock ever.
The Base Essentials
#1: Joy Division — Unknown Pleasures
Released: June 15, 1979
Yes, they really made that t-shirt into an actual album too! From the aftermath of a severe British economic depression, Joy Division represent the general pessimistic attitudes of the time in an unsettled and nervy manner; while establishing one of the most iconic records of all time. Right place right time you may say, Joy Division’s UP is still a hard-hitting masterpiece.
#2 Public Image Ltd — First Issue
Released: December 8th 1978
Bear with me on this one; it ain’t great. Most people prefer Metal Box, which is fantastic, but this is a key record in depicting the transition of hardcore-punk to post-punk. There’s something about the manic guitar slashing and pounding rhythmic vocals that really makes this a timeless classic. Or just “Funk for schizophrenics” as some may say, it’s still a neat jump from the horrendous Sex Pistols.
#3 Wire — Chairs Missing
Released: August 7th, 1978
A personal favourite of mine, it’d be difficult to discuss post-punk without Wire’s mysterious sophomore album, ‘Chairs Missing’. I really love the bass lines on this thing, they just define what post-punk should be like. It’s got a lovely variety and makes for a very engaging listening experience. ‘Mercy’ is iconic.
#4 Talking Heads — Fear of Music
Released: August 3rd, 1979
Even though most people see Remain in Light as Byrne’s masterpiece, this is the best starting point and one of the most iconic artistic statements of rock music in general. Maybe it’s a little too glossy, but fuck that anyway. At least I’ve got something to keep me from compulsively repeating it all day.
#5 Iggy Pop — The Idiot
Released: March 18th, 1977
This album is most commonly hipster-fuel nowadays, as it was allegedly the album Ian Curtis kicked the bucket to. No, it wasn’t bad, it’s actually a dark masterpiece. What ‘The Idiot’ lacks in production is made up for in atmosphere, but the absolute rawness of this album is what allows for the weird and drugged-out experience offered. Cold. Alienating. Hazy. Great.
The Undeniable Influence of Post-Punk
Where does this all link up, then?
The post-punk era was a time when bands pushed boundaries of creativity and art, which many critics may even imply to be the peak of guitar experimentation. In fact, virtually all bands working in guitar-based alternative rock are naturally influenced by post-punk.
In modern media, unless an artist is working in rap, metal or even vocal pop, it’s quite common that they’re doing something rooted in post-punk. Take for example Interpol, The Killers, Parquet Courts or even Arcade Fire. If I was to detail the influence on post-punk from the last 30 years, talking about U2 to The Strokes, we’d be here for a long time!
So, what really IS post-punk music?
Can a ‘genre’ so broad have defined characteristics?
The term ‘post-punk’ has become, over time, a metaphorical net for anything that came out between the death of the Sex Pistols and R.E.M., which really makes the label useless in actually describing music. The mid 70s to mid-80s saw the birth of a variety of great rock experimentation, from new wave, synthpop, goth rock and no wave. There are many bands from the punk movement, with exceptions, that changed their sound to make specifically post-punk-esque works such as whatever Generation X attempted to advance onto and the sincere genre clusterfucks of late-Clash albums (which can only be listed as post-punk). However, it would be much more cohesive if we just kicked those out of the box, we can’t include too much — especially if we’re talking about the result of punk dying out. We can still make exceptions for acts such as aforementioned Wire or The Fall, who took firm influence in the childish shock-value of much older artists such as Captain Beefheart and blended it with other genres such as Krautrock to mold the parameters of punk into a much more challenging and experimental sound.
While the label of post-punk can be referred to late 70s music and stuff of the early-to-mid 80s, it is necessary to push out second-generation throwback punk such as The Undertones or Buzzcocks. In the same sense that you wouldn’t consider Tame Impala to be ‘60s rock’, because it sounds similar to what went on. There are exceptions, but naturally if it’s too close to the boundaries it ain’t worth including.
In terms of other genre clarification, it’s unfortunately necessary to omit all synth-based bands; which proves to be a difficult decision. There are many artists such as Gary Numan’s Tubeway Army who are almost definitely part of the post-punk movement, but with the clarification of other acclaimed synth artists of the time such as Depeche Mode, it can be proved that they’re objectively something different. In terms of this influence being drawn-out from the post-punk movement, artists such as Echo & The Bunnymen are technically in deeper connection to garage rock which is a massively alternate heritage to the post-punk movement.
What developed the post-punk movement?
Was it a natural occurrence, or did something trigger it?
As mentioned earlier, it can be suggested that the initiation of post-punk and guitar experimentation was a result of the limits of punk which created a new necessity to progress efforts in finding new ideas. Punk rock, of the 75/76s, proved the extensions in general with how aggressive and powerful guitar music can be beyond punk (exemplified by artists such as Teenage Jesus).
In the UK, essentially, the post-punk scene was fed by the social and stylistic unity of punk rock’s movement which was followed by other liberating experimental efforts such as krautrock or reggae. Meanwhile, in the United States, punk rock was more of a cult and less diversely cultural than the UK with much less alternate influence. American post-punk music took roots from other 60s/70s garage experimentalism such as the Stooges or Sun Ra. Groups who took aspects of jazz and blues in to the movement include Pere Ubu, Chrome and DNA. The monumental but late ‘Double Nickels’ by American experimental punk band Minutemen, which dropped in ’84, took aspects from many genres from free jazz to funk and tested the limitations of punk music. However, post-punk acts of all regions took clear influence from the likes of Brian Eno and Velvet Underground.
How did the post-punk movement end?
What made such a controversially monumental age fade away?
By the mid 1980s, the post-punk age was fading and had virtually passed by 1984. This can be attributed to the deprivation of punk music causing a discrediting sound and, through the connection to post-punk, it paved the way for the era to slowly collapse. On the other hand, the further influence of alternative rock such as Sonic Youth and the Replacements in America blew away the flames of post-punk’s excitement. As renowned rock critic and punk-enthusiast Robert Christgau called it, ‘pig-fuck’ music, which pre-dated 90s grunge rock took most people’s eyes away from what the United Kingdom had to offer. Predictably, Sonic Youth didn’t take lightly to this label and thus dedicated a charming song to him entitled ‘I Killed Christgau With My Big Fucking Dick’. Lovely. All linked in to the rise of American alternative rock and improvements in media, British music was massively mainstreamed and experimentation simply decayed into a more minimal sound.
Finally, post-punk had layed down some of the most essential and greatest guitar music ever recorded and is still an absolute core foundation of alternative rock.
“If you’re going to play it out of tune, then play it out of tune properly”
-Mark E Smith, The Fall (1957–2018)
